Book Six: 1808-10 - Chapter XVII

by Leo Tolstoy

　　After Prince Andrew, Boris came up to ask Natasha for dance, andthen the aide-de-camp who had opened the ball, and several other youngmen, so that, flushed and happy, and passing on her superfluouspartners to Sonya, she did not cease dancing all the evening. Shenoticed and saw nothing of what occupied everyone else. Not only didshe fail to notice that the Emperor talked a long time with the Frenchambassador, and how particularly gracious he was to a certain lady, orthat Prince So-and-so and So-and-so did and said this and that, andthat Helene had great success and was honored was by the specialattention of So-and-so, but she did not even see the Emperor, and onlynoticed that he had gone because the ball became livelier after hisdeparture. For one of the merry cotillions before supper Prince Andrewwas again her partner. He reminded her of their first encounter in theOtradnoe avenue, and how she had been unable to sleep that moonlightnight, and told her how he had involuntarily overheard her. Natashablushed at that recollection and tried to excuse herself, as ifthere had been something to be ashamed of in what Prince Andrew hadoverheard.

　　Like all men who have grown up in society, Prince Andrew likedmeeting someone there not of the conventional society stamp. Andsuch was Natasha, with her surprise, her delight, her shyness, andeven her mistakes in speaking French. With her he behaved with specialcare and tenderness, sitting beside her and talking of the simplestand most unimportant matters; he admired her shy grace. In themiddle of the cotillion, having completed one of the figures, Natasha,still out of breath, was returning to her seat when another dancerchose her. She was tired and panting and evidently thought ofdeclining, but immediately put her hand gaily on the man's shoulder,smiling at Prince Andrew.

　　"I'd be glad to sit beside you and rest: I'm tired; but you seehow they keep asking me, and I'm glad of it, I'm happy and I loveeverybody, and you and I understand it all," and much, much more wassaid in her smile. When her partner left her Natasha ran across theroom to choose two ladies for the figure.

　　"If she goes to her cousin first and then to another lady, shewill be my wife," said Prince Andrew to himself quite to his ownsurprise, as he watched her. She did go first to her cousin.

　　"What rubbish sometimes enters one's head!" thought Prince Andrew,"but what is certain is that that girl is so charming, so original,that she won't be dancing here a month before she will bemarried.... Such as she are rare here," he thought, as Natasha,readjusting a rose that was slipping on her bodice, settled herselfbeside him.

　　When the cotillion was over the old count in his blue coat came upto the dancers. He invited Prince Andrew to come and see them, andasked his daughter whether she was enjoying herself. Natasha did notanswer at once but only looked up with a smile that saidreproachfully: "How can you ask such a question?"

　　"I have never enjoyed myself so much before!" she said, and PrinceAndrew noticed how her thin arms rose quickly as if to embrace herfather and instantly dropped again. Natasha was happier than she hadever been in her life. She was at that height of bliss when onebecomes completely kind and good and does not believe in thepossibility of evil, unhappiness, or sorrow.

　　At that ball Pierre for the first time felt humiliated by theposition his wife occupied in court circles. He was gloomy andabsent-minded. A deep furrow ran across his forehead, and standingby a window he stared over his spectacles seeing no one.

　　On her way to supper Natasha passed him.

　　Pierre's gloomy, unhappy look struck her. She stopped in front ofhim. She wished to help him, to bestow on him the superabundance ofher own happiness.

　　"How delightful it is, Count!" said she. "Isn't it?"

　　Pierre smiled absent-mindedly, evidently not grasping what she said.

　　"Yes, I am very glad," he said.

　　"How can people be dissatisfied with anything?" thought Natasha."Especially such a capital fellow as Bezukhov!" In Natasha's eyesall the people at the ball alike were good, kind, and splendid people,loving one another; none of them capable of injuring another- and sothey ought all to be happy.